The Ulster Unionist Party has reacted angrily to an IRA statement in yesterday's An Phoblacht accusing the party of damaging the peace process by setting more preconditions.
In a statement, the UUP rejected the criticism, saying it was the republican movement that was "dragging its heels".
"The leadership of the republican movement knows, whether it has informed its followers or not, that the actions of the Ulster Unionist Party are entirely consistent with the understandings arrived at in the Mitchell review.
"The republican movement must avoid creating the impression that they are dragging their feet and looking for excuses in not implementing the Mitchell review and the Belfast Agreement," the UUP said.
The IRA statement also referred to the recent controversy over the bugging of a car used by leading Sinn Fein members.
However, the UUP said it was outside the terms of the Mitchell review to introduce "outdated grievances" over anti-terrorist surveillance.
The SDLP described the IRA statement as "unhelpful", saying republicans were blaming others rather than facing up to their responsibilities.
"The points made by the IRA . . . lay blame all around while giving their own responsibilities only a cursory mention. They criticise unionists and the security services for continuing their war against republicans, but play down the need for decommissioning," the SDLP said.
The Minister of Social Development, Mr Nigel Dodds, said the IRA statement showed the movement's unwillingness to even begin decommissioning before the May deadline.
"The IRA's New Year message signals no change in its position that whilst the terrorists expect ever-increasing concessions under the Belfast Agreement, they will give nothing in return.
"If this is all there is to show for allowing Sinn Fein into government in breach of UUP election promises, many UUP supporters of David Trimble must be feeling decidedly let down," Mr Dodds said. His party colleague, Mr Sammy Wilson, said the IRA statement had left Mr Trimble looking "silly".
"The IRA statement is a repeat of the same old rhetoric of making demands whilst giving up nothing . . . David Trimble has to face the Ulster Unionist Council again in February - if they have any decency they will send him and this sordid deal packing."
Meanwhile, proposals for IRA members to keep their personal weapons after terrorist decommissioning has taken place were supported by the shadow Northern Ireland Secretary yesterday, Mr Andrew Mackay.
The IRA leadership is believed to have proposed plans to Gen John de Chastelain, who is in charge of the decommissioning process, for keeping "personal protection weapons"
According to reports, IRA members have said sidearms are necessary so they can protect themselves from dissident paramilitaries opposed to disarmament.
Mr Mackay said he could accept the principle, as long as the weapons were purely for personal protection.
"I could live with that provided that all the other weapons are decommissioned," he told the BBC Radio 4's Today programme yesterday.
"It's my understanding that various public figures in Northern Ireland carry protection weapons for fairly obvious reasons and I wouldn't object to Sinn Fein/IRA doing the same."
However, he said it would be "only in the context that they fulfil their obligations under the agreement and they decommission all their illegally held arms and explosives".